Taco Madness 2009 ~ Sabrocho!

We’re down the final 8, the elite, the Sabrocho. Controversy has plagued the tournament so far, with a strong anti-Tito’s contingent, as well as those who felt the seeding of Cactus Taqueria and Tacomiendo were too low. In any case, we move on to the next round with the following matchups. In this round, all polls are open at the same time, and voting is open until midnight on Friday of this week. If you missed Round 1, please check here to see how we got to the Sabrocho.

UPDATE: Thank you to all who voted! Final Four Matchups (starting Monday) are:

UPDATE 2: Great analysis of the match ups here. Hopefully they will do final four predictions too!

You know, I just searched your site for “Grand Central Market,” and found only one mention of it, in an interview with someone or other, I forget which. But you can get some hellagood fish tacos there.

agreed with 14 and 16 that there’s something not quite right about the way these numbers are skewing. i think we might be seeing a reflection of the technology gap here. does this in some way invalidate the polling or demand a correction? an interesting subject for a debate on the polling methodology.

i agree completely, Titos has got to be the most over-rated, greasiest stuff around. it does not belong in the final 8. Tacos Por Favor has gone steadily downhill over the last 3-4 years since it was “discovered” by gueros liviing on the westside. it’s pretty much slop and gristle now.

Cactus is the best, but only after 9-10 p.m. That’s when the pastor has reached the perfect degree of crunchiness. In the daylight it’s merely average, but after dark Cactus outshines the others on the list by far. Their chipotle salsa tops anything in town and their habanero salsa will rip your face off.

Zero, you are SO on point. Nothing comes close to the texture and flavor of the pastor from Cactus. For whatever reason no other taco joint in town will serve the pork cut fresh off the rotisserie like they do. It’s true, during the day it’s last night’s leftovers so you definitely want to arrive after dark. Seriously, once you’ve had em, everything else on the menu becomes superfluous. There’s an open condiment bar, plenty of fresh onions n’ cilantro, a salsa verde with deceivingly high stopping power, and the orange one… let’s just say I’ve seen grown men weep and beg for forgiveness. Plus the price is right and the place is open till about 3 am. Cactus nummer #1!!

how the fuck is a korean bbq even in this competition. and for those that are saying tito’s is garbage, you are dumb tasteless fucks. and those who are complaining about it being too greasy, ITS A FUCKING TACO, what the fuck do u expect, if you want some fuckin homo health taco why dont u head to west hollywood and have some of the most unauthentic tacos out there

Tito’s does not belong on this list. Try the barbacoa @ Arco Iris in Highland Park FTW!
OH yeah! whomever was looking for Grand Central Market Tacos, My suggestion is Tacos Thomas if you enter from the Broadway side it will be the third shop on the left (south wall)

I have never understood the El Taurino cult myself, but every K-town girl I’ve dated seems to take me there again for the first-time telling me it’s the best. Taco Zone I wasn’t feeling either, but have friends who swear by it. On this list, I give my votes to Yuca’s, Por Favor, and Baja. Like many, I don’t get how some of them got on the list.

I’d like to see a future battle with these guys included:
Atacor in Cypress Park (papas tacos!)
La Estrella and Huarache Azteca in Highland Park
Oaxaquena and Playita in Venice

Lando, I once lived just 3 blocks from El Parian but was too hung up on Flor Blanca pupusas and yuca to ever drag my lazy ass on over. Story soon come!

I agree with Juan, tacos are an expression of our massive cultural melting pot in the Southwestern U.S. and all that our ancestors and neighbors and brothers and sisters bring to the grill. Food is culture, we eat everyday, and just as we are what we eat, we eat what we are.

Good to see that the forces of suckage are still alive and well, viz. this comment: “if you want some fuckin homo health taco why dont u head to west hollywood and have some of the most unauthentic tacos out there”

Yeah, man, I want a *gay* taco.

I personally just like good tacos, and luckily for us living here in LA, there are *many* places to get damn good tacos. No disrespect to the contest maintainers, but man, you can get damn good tacos, I mean really *good* tacos, all over the place in LA.

Hell, one time my wife and I bought six $1 tacos from an obviously temporary stand in Atwater Village on Fletcher just south of the 2. We took them home and devoured them and they were SO good. (We got two asada, two pollo, and two pastor.)

I was born in raised in LA, and yet every day it surprises and pleases me. Tacos rule.

Tito’s Tacos is disgusting and shouldn’t even be a part of this competition (which has some seriously good contenders, by the way). Everyone knows that the best tacos are in East L.A. and you can’t beat the taco stands and lonchera trucks.

these brackets are so bullshit. a real taco is deep fried shell with savory spicy meat. not some limp dick soft shell piece of crap made for pussy ass queens who don’t like the crunchy shell. fuck that kogi shit. that crap is good for maybe one shot. after that it all tastes the same. trendy hipster types who think standing in another line, after standing in one to go clubbing, is cool. fuck that! i don’t waste my time. go to dos burritos and get a taco. those mexicans know how to make some good salsa. not like the perfumed dainty taste of kogi’s bullshit salsas.